The Domino Effect
by ideal fairytale
Summary: Oneshot/drabble collection. A variety of stories focusing on our favourite couple. #04//Sacrificial Lamb: Sasuke smirked in triumph when he won the staring match. Then he realized a flying paint brush had come out of nowhere and knocked the dobe out.
1. Fake Story

_A/N: _Fluffy, slice-of-lifeish, and a tiny bit of romance at the end. Not in chronological order. Enjoy. (:

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_Summary: They start out as strangers, but, she keeps pushing past every wall he's created until, eventually, he gives up and lets her stand by his side.  
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**-#01-**

**Fake Story**

**.**

**.  
**

**_She says_**, "Smile once in a while", and looks at him with anticipation.

He stares at her longer than necessary before wandering off the school grounds.

She gapes at his retreating back for nearly a whole minute, and he really, _really_ hopes she forgets to follow him.

She follows him.

He says, "Go away". She shakes her head, and doesn't say anymore.

She tries to walk beside him, but he speeds up on purpose. She catches up to him, only to be left in the dust, and they keep repeating, until they're both out of breath.

He mutters, "Go away, Sakura", between breathes. She giggles, and he notices it sounds like an airy sigh.

"But Sasuke-kun", She says when she _finally_ catches her breath. "That would mean I would have to leave you alone."

He pauses.

He turns to look at her earnest face. Seizing the chance, she runs up to him.

_He lets her walk beside him._

**_She says_**, "I won't leave", and he secretly holds her to the promise.

.

.

.

**_He says_**, "Stop stalking me".

Well, to be fair, that wasn't her intention at first. She just wanted to borrow a pencil from him because she had forgotten her bag.

Her mom always said, "Get your head out of the clouds".

She never did take those words seriously.

To this day, she's glad she didn't.

_'He's beautiful'_, she thinks when he turns away from his math textbook, holding out a pencil._ 'Deadpan, but beautiful.'_

It is only when she hears the whole class laughing and him scowling at her that she realizes she said it out loud.

She's embarrassed for a while after, but forgets about it when she scores a 100 on the test.

**_He says_, **"Give me back my pencil", a week later, and, she can't because she's lost it.

.

.

.

**_She says_**, "Sasuke-kun, what's the matter?"

He ignores her voice, as always, and proceeds to wipe down the chalkboard.

She pouts, and walks up to him.

His actions are paused as he's suddenly tugged down forcefully. Who knew someone so small could be so strong?

"Tell. Me." she says, enunciating each word, small hands clasping tightly to muscular arms.

He looks at her green, green, eyes for a long while, and she feels like they're near a breakthrough.

He turns away suddenly, and walks out of the classroom.

**_She says_**, "We're friends, aren't we...?", and proceeds to clean the empty room by herself.

.

.

.

**_He says_**, "Leave me alone", and trudges down the hallway.

Whispers start around the school about a "pink-haired freak" following around _the_ Sasuke Uchiha.

She doesn't pay mind to the various rumours circulating around, and follows after him.

Secretly. Of course.

She hides behind a tree, and watches him.

_'Wow, so handsome'_, she thinks to herself again as she watches him stand in the middle of the cherry blossom trees.

He looks small standing alone, she notices.

_At that moment, she promises to herself that she would stand beside him._

She goes up to him.

**_He says_**, "What are you doing here?", but doesn't tell her to go away, and she thinks _that's a start._

_._

_._

_.  
_

**_She says_**, "Oh, hi Sasuke-kun", when she sees him burst through the doors of her hospital room.

His face looks strained, but not because of the scowl that's always on his very nice-looking face.

"Idiot!", he spits out, but sits down quietly soon after, and they sit in silence for a bit.

He was so worried. So goddamned worried.

_I won't leave._

She jumped out onto the road to save a little boy.

_Two broken ribs, right arm fractured, a slight concussion, almost her entire body was bruised, and the list, it seemed to keep going on, and on._

Her heart almost got her killed.

He gives her flowers the next day; Cosmos, because he knows she likes them.

**_She says_**, "I'm happy you're here, Sasuke-kun, since you're the only one who ever comes", and fingers the fresh Cosmos by her bedside.

.

.

.

**_He says_**, "My father", one day to her after a session of physiotherapy (1).

She looks at him in bewilderment.

"He doesn't care about me. All he ever goes on about is 'Itachi this' and 'Itachi that'", he explains bitterly.

She listens quietly as he complains, ever the silent guardian.

She's secretly kind of happy to see this side of him, but doesn't tell him.

It _is_ a secret, after all.

When he has nothing more to say (at least for today), she pulls on his sleeves, and makes him lean close.

She hugs him softly, and he doesn't hug back, because he's afraid of squeezing the life out of her.

Oh, and he's afraid of something else too: **Getting close to her.**

**_He says_, **"Thank you", and doesn't leave until visiting hours are over.

.

.

.

**_She says_**, "We should go on a picnic."

He sighs because _of course_ she'd be thinking about this; right after she got out of the hospital.

It took months, but she can walk again. He holds her steadily because the doctor told her to take it easy.

They go to the park, and it's sunset by now.

She dances and twirls, and he watches, protectively.

She stops in front of him and grins up at him.

**_She says_**, "I told you I wouldn't leave you alone." She sticks out a tongue. "You thought I was lying, didn't you?"

/

He rolls his eyes.

"No", he tells her truthfully, and looks at her for the first time.

At her shoulder-length pink hair, her white skin, and jade-green eyes.

As a woman.

.

.

**_And that's when their real story began._**

.

.

**_-x-

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**_A/N: _**Yes, Sakura's an orphan. Yes, her parents died in a car accident (irrelevant information)**_. _**Oh, and at first, Sakura's the protector because we know she's the type to protect who she thinks is precious teehee, but by the last scene, Sasuke is. XD I'm also accepting prompts. Just give me the general idea and genre, perhaps?

**(1): **A medical treatment for joints, muscle, and nerve problems involving physical movement.

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_Thank you to anyone who favourites/alerts this fic. A special thank you to anyone who reviews._


	2. Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend

**_A/N: _**Tralalalala~ Humour! Enjoy. (:  
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Summary: She thinks she's dreaming. He thinks she's crazy. "So, we aren't on some crazy Japanese prank show?" "Obviously not, moron."

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**-#02-**

**Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend**

**.**

**.  
**

"You should break up with him", Ino told her best friend.

...

"... And hello to you too, Ino", Sakura said sarcastically as they entered their favourite coffee shop.

After the pair ordered their drinks, Ino looked at Sakura up and down with a critical eye.

...

"What?!" Sakura snapped out, exasperated. Ino leaned back on the cushy chair.

"You seem more tired", Ino remarked. "I think it's because of him." Their drinks arrived before the pink-haired female could retort. They each murmured their thanks to the waitress.

"He's draining the life out of you, Sakura! I mean, I know he's hot, but you really should think about getting yourself someone who loves you and is actually trying to see you." The blonde finished after taking a dainty sip of her frappucino. Ino wrinkled her nose at Sakura, who was chugging down the creamy hot chocolate.

"Firstly," Sakura held up one finger, "I'm not breaking up with him. Second, I'm tired because of all the crap my sadistic prof., Kakashi-sensei, is whipping out in my Lit. class." Sakura was going to kill Naruto the next time she saw him. Stupid idiot said the class would be an easy break from her other subjects. "Thirdly," Sakura huffed. "Sasuke-kun is just busy."

Ino raised an eyebrow.

"Too busy to see you in the last three months?" She prodded. _With a stick._ Sakura winced.

"He has to take over his family's company one day", she replied to Ino, starting to get defensive. "We still call each other..."

"And how often do you guys talk on the phone, hmm?" Ino demanded. Sakura didn't speak. "Exactly my point. I get that you two have been dating since senior year, but things change, Sakura. The stick up his ass has gotten deeper."

...

Sakura choked on hot chocolate.

"I'm not breaking up with Sasuke-kun", she managed to wheeze out after a few coughs.

Ino shrugged. "Your choice. Just remember to call me when you need a shoulder to cry on". She flashed a white-toothed smile.

Ino held up one manicured finger. "I'll only say, 'I told you so' once, since I'm so nice."

Sakura suddenly felt like throwing up.

---

Ino and Sakura decided to say goodbye after our coffee detour. Sakura was relieved. Ino's one-sided conversation was starting to sink in. Now that Ino had mentioned it, Sasuke was never the one to initiate the phone calls that went on between them during the last few months. Whenever Sakura _did_ managed to reach Sasuke, he always said he was too busy to talk.

Sakura thought back to when they had finally arranged to go on a date two weeks ago, only to be blown off with a text message.

...

"Stupid Sasuke-kun. Thinks because he's the heir of a multi-million corporation that he can stand **me** up." Sakura muttered viciously to herself as the memories resurfaced. She changed her phone's background to anything.

Anything **but** the Uchiha's sleeping face.

She stopped, several people brushed up against her, but she ignored them.

...Maybe, he was cheating on her. Sakura knew the only thing she had going for her was my brain.

They had once gone out on a date, and overheard an elderly couple say that Sasuke was much too handsome for her.

Sasuke, Sasuke wouldn't do that. Cheat on her.

Would he?

"Who am I kidding?" Sakura muttered to herself. He wouldn't want to date a loser for very long..."

_Sasuke-kun..._

She glanced down to her hands to the keychain of a sparkling pink heart on her cellphone. Sasuke had given it to her when they first started dating. He claimed it was a freebie with the stuff from the supermarket. A bitter smile touched Sakura's lips. It was so obvious it was from one of those girly shops she had often gone into during their dates.

Sakura watched as another glittery pink sequin fell off and drift onto the snow-powdered floor.

Maybe it was time to break it off.

She really hated it when Ino was right.

---

Sakura paced anxiously in the lobby of one of the many office buildings that belonged to the Uchiha family.

Maybe she shouldn't have come here. Oh, but it's too late now, Sakura. Ok, deep breathe. It'll all be over in two minutes, tops.

Then she could go call Ino and eat ice-cream together. Maybe give Ino the normal ice-cream while she ate the low-fat yoghurt so that she would finally weight less than the friend that's taller than her. Yes, that sounds very nice, Sakura. Good id—

"...Sakura?"

Sakura could feel her palms sweating from the nervousness she was feeling. She slowly turned around...

...And aimed her gaze at Sasuke's feet. No doubt looking at his face would leave her breathless.

"Sasuke-kun, I know we've been together for like five years" Sakura began. "...which is why I'm pretty surprised we lasted this long. I mean, we both come from different social circles and the only reason you went to a public high school is because you wanted to get away from your parents. I also chased you like a freaking dog all throughout the four years there, so, it wasn't really fate that brought us together." Sakura tucked a piece of stray hair behind her ear. Oh boy. She could feel the tears coming. "It was good for a while and I was always really happy with you, but lately, we haven't been hanging out a lot." Tears were coming out! Get a hold of yourself, Sakura. "It's no wonder you would cheat on me. I mean, I'm me and you're Sasuke-kun, so..."

Screw it. She was looking at his face.

Damned be the consequences.

...

She paused from her speech.

"Are you done?" He was looking annoyed at her. Annoyed! What kind of prick would look annoyed while his (soon-to-be-ex) girlfriend was pouring her heart out?

She felt her anger rearing its ugly head. "Listen, you! I know you're emotionally constipated, but would it hurt a little to try looking a little more sadder?!"

Sasuke just stared at her tear-streaked face.

"UGH!" Sakura snapped. "Fine! I'm shutting up! Goodbye, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura was about to stomp towards the front doors when a hand grabbed onto her wrist.

"...Sakura..." his voiced called out to her.

Don't look, don't look, don't look—

Sakura looked.

...

_Uhhh... What?  
_

Sasuke was on his knees.

Sakura was too confused and shocked to be angry as he held out a ring to her.

"...Sakura Haruno..." Sasuke turned his head to the side, his cheeks stained with pink. "Will you marry me?"

Sakura was too flabbergasted to say anything at his earnest proposal. She stood there looking at his face, with a slack-opened jaw.

...

Wait, why was somebody clapping?

The couple turned to the origin of the sound and saw Sasuke's older brother, Itachi, looking at them with an amused expression.

The older Uchiha brother chuckled at the pair's faces. One was scowling at him, and the other was staring at the ring with an expression like a fish.

He walked up to them casually. "Nice job, Sasuke". He patted his little brother on the head. Sasuke slapped his hand away. "You managed to stop seeing your girlfriend for three months. I'm sure father will let you stay with Sakura-san now."

Meanwhile, Sakura was finally able to turn away from the huge rock to gape at her brother-in-law(?)

...

"Wuhh...?" Sakura managed to say.

Sasuke wanted to slap his forehead after hearing Sakura's response.

Itachi smiled at the young woman. "Well, we couldn't have Sasuke marrying a no-name girl without a test, right?" He explained.

Sakura's eyes darted between both brothers.

"Aniki..." Sasuke gritted out. "...You weren't supposed to tell her that."

"Ahh... Sorry about that, Sasuke. Must have slipped my mind", Itachi said. Sasuke clenched his fist. His brother dared to have the audacity to look apologetic.

_Uchihas_ didn't have things slipping their mind.

_Bastard._

"So," a voice started. Both brothers turned away from their staring match to the short pink-haired female. "You mean, Sasuke-kun wasn't avoiding me?"

Sasuke looked embarrassed. "Obviously not, moron." he snapped.

"...Then, we aren't on some prank TV show, right?" Sakura asked stupidly. Sasuke scowled, trying to remind himself why he wanted to marry this girl again.

Itachi chuckled. "No, Sakura-san." Sakura's features brightened. "I imagine Sasuke wanted to propose to you when you were alone, but..." Itachi gave them a small smile.

"It seems he really had no choice when you were about to leave him."

Sakura blushed. Sasuke glared at his brother.

"Anyways, I believe this way was a much better way of proposing, right, Sasuke?" Itachi gestured to the small crowd a few feet from them.

Sakura turned a deep shade of red as she eyed the crowd.

"Aniki..." Sasuke seethed out.

**_-x-_**

**_A/N: _**Yay~ Finally have something posted. Hehe, this may seem like shameless self-pimping (because it is, duh), but it'd make me pretty happy my other stories are read. For those reading I can fly!, no I haven't written anything for chapter four. Stupid mentality! ._.

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_Thank you to anyone who favourites/alerts this fic. A special thank you to anyone who reviews._


	3. Even in Death

A/N: Totally revamped.

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Summary: I promised I would stay with you forever. It was the promise of a lifetime. "Love is staying with someone to the bitter end."  
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**-#03-**

**Even in Death**

(_Failure comes at a high price too, in case you forgot)_.

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_"Sakura..."_

_Clasps hand._

_"Yeah, Sasuke-kun?"_

_..._

**_"It's nothing."_**

_._

_.  
_

I don't cry.

It isn't that I don't want to, it's simply because I can't; they won't come out. I think it's the subconscious thought in my brain which is telling me: _**don't cry. don't cry. ****crying won't solve a thing**_.

A gaping, hole in his shoulder.

He's bleeding out.

Sasuke –_Sasuke-kun_–_ he's dying._

People always seem to leave me.

I approach him. He doesn't notice me; his eyes are blank and ice-cold.

Exactly like the first time they became a team.

His eyes. Those same, fathomless obsidian glass eyes that I would stare into every time I caught his attention when we were genin...

I pause.

...

_Sasuke is blind._ I attempt to muffle the sob as I fall down onto the wet pavement, skinning my knees in a process. The dying man flinches and snaps his head towards my direction, finally realizing someone is there.

"Who is it?", he hisses sharply.

I feel my heart crack a little more when I see him dart unseeing eyes. Pathetic; a shell of his former self.

_Was it really worth it, Sasuke-kun?_

He stops and lets out a faint, wet exhale.

I stare at him, my dull eyes watching the prone form.

"Hey Sasuke-kun..."

...

"It's Sakura."

.

.

_Some days, she'd cry herself to sleep thinking of him. _

_Some days, she couldn't get out of bed.  
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_._

_.  
_

Sasuke stiffens and turns his head to face me. I ignore the eyes looking through me and crack a smile. He seems to sense it and gives me a weak, barely-there smirk.

...

He always did manage to find out when I felt weak.

We both stay in our respective positions until I speak.

These awkward silences between us, I always tried to break them.

_Old habits die hard._

"Do you want me to try to heal it?" I ask quietly. He doesn't speak.

My shoulders droop. I wonder why I always set myself up only to be disappointed.

"Heh", he rasps out. I look at him through half-lidded eyes.

"No."

_Ok._

He seems to know my silent answer.

...

There's a hint of finality in the humid air, and really, it's kind of sad.

.

.

_"Do you think me and you could have happened if we were born in a different life?"_

_"No."  
_

_Smiles._

_._

_._

I wasn't that foolhardy to convince myself this was the right thing to do, but I just felt like it was necessary for me to do it.

For me as well as the man I loved.

.

.

_"... It would've been different then. We wouldn't have been so_–_" (hopeless)  
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_Silence.  
_

_She nods, understanding.  
_

_._

_.  
_

When they find her, she's in her room.

There's the faint scent of almonds in the air.

_**-x-**_

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**__**A/N:**_ Inspired by tsubaki-hana's 'Long Live the Queen'. Hopefully, that wasn't too bad. Now that I've read it, it's kind of... "ugh". - -;

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__Thank you to anyone who favourites/alerts this fic. A special thank you to anyone who reviews._


	4. Sacrificial Lamb

A/N: Team 7 friendship. Humourous.

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_Summary: Sasuke smirked in triumph when he won the staring match. Then he realized a flying paint brush had come out of nowhere and knocked the dobe out._

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**-#04-**

**Sacrificial Lamb**

Sasuke stared flatly at the mess in front of him.

The entire floor was covered with plastic tarp. On top of the sheet was Sakura, surrounded by the props their class would be using for their play during the cultural festival.

There was paint. _Everywhere. _

Sakura didn't take notice Sasuke standing there. He contemplated walking out. Sakura looked up before he could attempt escape.

"Hi Sasuke-kun!" Sakura exclaimed. Sasuke noticed the rainbow of colours adorning her shirt and looked down at his school uniform, wondering if he should have changed first.

He was about to reply when he heard a loud THUMP come from behind him. The dark-eye boy turned around to see Naruto with paint cans at either side of him, pointing at him.

Sasuke could feel a headache coming on.

His _self-proclaimed_ best friend was scowling at him. Not one to lose any kind of staring match, Sasuke glared back.

This continued for several minutes, neither one willing to yield to their rival.

Suddenly, a paintbrush smashed itself into Naruto's face. The blonde flailed off the auditorium stage and landed, face-down, limbs spread out.

The dark-haired boy smirked in satisfaction, feeling triumphant he had won the match.

It was a moment later he realized a flying art tool had appeared out of nowhere.

"Guys", Sakura huffed out, her hand akimbo. "Get to work."

Naruto picked himself up, his figure swaying back and forth from the after effects. He shook his head like a dog just coming out of water. Sasuke looked perturbed at the amount of paint coming from Naruto.

"Sakura-chan. Why did you hurt only me?" Naruto whined. "The bastard over there was the one who was late!" Naruto pointed rudely at Sasuke, who was staring at a large cardboard made to look like a kumquat.

"T-That is..." She trailed off. Both boys could clearly see the pink on Sakura's cheeks as she tried to think up an answer.

Naruto looked aghast.

Sasuke looked like he would rather be somewhere else rather than there.

"... You look like something threw up on you..." Sasuke finally said, breaking the awkward silence. Naruto flared up.

"Y-YOU ANNOYING BASTARD!" Naruto screeched out.

Sakura stared, wide-eyed at the situation.

"W-wait. Naruto!" Sakura hollered to the angered teenager. "Not ther–"

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"So", Kakashi began cheerfully. Sakura and Sasuke might have been fooled if not for the fact their teacher was holding a terrified Naruto by the hair. "Who was the cause for this?"

He pointed to the ruined props, now covered with numerous paint images in the shape of the spiky-haired boy he had in his hand.

Sakura and Sasuke seemed to know what the other was thinking; the benefits of being friends since they were 12.

"Naruto.""The idiot", Sakura and Sasuke said simultaneously.

Naruto stared, slack-jawed, at his "best friends" who were doing a great job of _not_ making eye contact with him as he was dragged away by his teacher.

"T-TRAITORS!"

**_-x-_**

A/N: Yay, my first real drabble. :D If you have prompts or ideas, don't be afraid to tell me. I switched #1 and #3 with each other after consulting with a friend. Hope it didn't inconvenience any of my old readers. ._.

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_Thank you to anyone who favourites/alerts this fic. A special thank you to anyone who reviews._


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